A Decade of Terror: The best horror films of the 2010s

It–Courtesy of New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures

It (2017)

The Stephen King renaissance has been in full force throughout the latter half of the decade for two good reasons: The majority of recent King adaptations have been solid entries within the writer’s long line of inspired work, and, well, dollar dollar bills, y’all.

Andy Muschietti’s big-screen adaptation of It was the pinnacle of both.

Pennywise the *dancing* clown scared up a fortune at the box office, becoming the highest grossing horror film of all time (a feat that may be overshadowed by It: Chapter Two later this year), but what’s truly impressive is the cinematic enchantment that Muschietti injected into the horror film.

Playing like a scarier cross between The Goonies and The Monster Squad, there’s a magical element of nostalgia to be found within Muschietti’s adaptation — but it’s also a touching examination of childhood friendship and how the bond with those friends can be powerful enough to transcend a troubled youth. The outcast children are stronger together, and as a group, they are capable of taking on anything that life throws at them. Even if it’s a flesh-eating, fear-feasting predatory entity in the form of a nightmare clown.

The Loser’s Club will likely remind you of friends you haven’t thought about in years, friends that helped you through a scary time in your life simply by existing, and there’s something genuinely special about that. It is one of the all-time great Stephen King adaptations, and it’s certainly one of the best horror films of the decade.